‘Shame on you!’ Outraged Kentucky Derby fans BLAST race stewards after Maximum Security is disqualified – but one lucky bettor wins a whopping $133,000 after putting money on declared winner Country House
- Saturday’s 2019 Kentucky Derby saw first place finisher Maximum Security sensationally disqualified, with Country House subsequently declared winner
- Thousands of viewers were left outraged by the stewards’ call, taking to social media to express their fury
- However, the upset proved to be a boon for one punter who won $133,000 after putting money on Country House
The 2019 Kentucky Derby was plagued with drama on Saturday, after first-place finisher Maximum Security was sensationally disqualified and Country House declared the winner.
Many viewers watching at home were outraged by the result, taking to social media to blast the stewards who made the controversial call.
‘Fixed! I’ll never watch this again! Shame on you!’ one fan declared in a post on Twitter.
‘Shameful! It was clear who won! #MaximumSecurity’, added another.
While thousands were left shocked by the disqualification, it was very welcome news for one bettor who put money on Country House, an underdog with odds of 65-1.
Outraged Kentucky Derby fans blasted race stewards on Sunday after they disqualified first-place finisher Maximum Security
Controversy rocked the 2019 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, after first-place finisher Maximum Security was disqualified shortly after the race
According to sports analyst Darren Rovell, the person placed $2,500 on Country House before winning a whopping $133,000 in return.
Meanwhile, Rovell revealed that another bettor lost $8,000 after putting their money on Maximum Security.
Fans were forced to wait for 20 long minutes to find out who would take home the title, after Maximum Security was reported for veering out of line and impeding upon other horses.
As the stewards re-watched footage of the race in order to decide on a victor, many took to social media to poke fun of the situation.
The stewards’ call turned into a boon for one lucky punter, who picked up a whopping $133,000
Country House (right) crossed the line in second place, but was later crowned the winner
‘If you think the end of the Kentucky Derby was confusing now you know how the horses feel about the whole race,’ comedy writer Matt Goldich posted on Twitter.
The official ProTalk Football account also got in on the joke, poking fun at the fact that Maximum Security might have broken the rules.
‘I’m very confused. How does the horse know the rules?’ they hilariously wrote.
Several Twitter accounts posted jokes as confusion surrounded the Derby’s final result
Maximum Security crossed the line in first place, but the victory lap was short-lived, with the thoroughbred subsequently disqualified in a stewards’ call
Maximum Security was eventually disqualified by the stewards after it was decided he veered out of line and impeded War of Will and Long Range Toddy.
The shock decision marks the first time in the race’s 145-year history that the victor has been changed on the day.
There could be appeals to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission or the courts.
Jockey Flavien Prat, who originated the claim of foul, also won his first Derby.
‘I’m kind of speechless right now,’ Prat said, appearing in disbelief when the results were announced by the judges following the lengthy deliberations.
He later said: ‘No words can describe this. It’s amazing.’
‘I really lost my momentum around the turn,’ he said of Maximum Security’s foul, which came as several horses were gaining ground on the leader.
The stunning outcome gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first Derby victory at age 65.
‘It feels pretty darn good,’ an elated Mott said after the race.
Country House jockey Flavien Prat was forced to wait to 20 nail-biting minutes as judges looked back over race footage to decided whether or not to disqualify Maximum Security
Country House is pictured in the winner’s circle following the most dramatic Kentucky Derby in history